andersen



May 30, 1933. p E. ANDERSEN 1,911,738

CUPOLA CHARGER Filed Jan. 5, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY Aim-W, flo #100, fi e M ATTORNEYS May 30, 1933. N. P. E. ANDERSENCUPOLA CHARGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 5, 1931 INi IQINTOR.

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ATTORNEYJ Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STA S PATENT OFFICE nILs PETERERIK ANEERSEE, E ELM encva. Wisconsin, essrenon r0 I-IARNISCH- FEGER.CORPORATION, 0E MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A coaronerron 0E WISCON- CUPOLACHARGER Application filed January 5,1931. Serial No. 506,622.

This invention relates to that type of material handling mechanism knownas a cupola charger. c

In charging'cupolas the charging material is loaded into buckets havingdrop bottoms or dump bottoms and the hoisting mechanism picks up thesebuckets, elevates them and carries them to the cupola. During the travelof the bucket from the place at which it is 10 loaded to the cupola itis imperative that. the hoisting mechanism not only support the bucketbody but also hold the drop bottom closed so as to retain the materialin the bucket. However, when the bucket has entered the cupola, it isdesirable to drop the bottom and consequently dis charge the contents ofthe bucket into the cupola. v

Oneof the principal objects of the present invention is to provide asimple, durable,

reliable and practical cup ola charger adapted for embodiment in any ofthe various types v of crane or traversing hoist constructionsordinarily used to meet the varying conditions in actual practice andwhich exerts a positive lift on the drop bottom and the bucket bodyduring'the hoisting, traveling and lowering and yet is readily operableto lower the drop bottom relative to the bucket body when the bucket isin the cupola whereby to effect dumping or discharge of the contents ofthe bucket.

Another important object of the present invention resides in theprovision of a cupola charger which is so constructed and organized asto employ but a singlehoisting drum for both the bucket body and itsdrop bot tom.

40 A. further. object of the invention is to provide a cupola chargerofthis character which is speedy and effective in operation, easilycontrollable and simp'leand compact in its construction. v 1 -Otherobjectsand advantages reside in cupola charger constructed in accordance5 certain novel features of the construction, arrangement andcombinationof parts which will be hereinafter more'fully described andparticularly pointed out in: the appended claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings forming a=partofthis specification,'and inwhich: Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly invertical section showing the with the present invention and embodied inone type of crane construction;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing another type of craneconstruction; Figure 3 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevationand partly in vertical section showing thecupola charger embodied in amonorail hoist;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section taken on line %4 of Figure 3 withparts shown in elevation for the sake of illustration; and

v Figure 5Jis a detail sectional view on line 55 of Figure 3. I I V Inall ofthe types of construction illus trated in the drawings, the,hoisting mechanism for controlling the raising and lowering of thebuckets with its bottom and the means organized therewith for providingfor relative movementbetween the, bottom and the body for dumping is thesame in all substantial respects. The differences in the variousconstructions reside merely in the adaptations of this hoistingmechanism and means to the different types of traversing hoists orcranes.

' p, In all embodiments of the invention a bucket 1 is employed and isprovided with a separate cone-shaped drop bottom 2 (see Figures 3 and4). A vertical stem or shaft 3 has its lower end securely fastened as at4 to the apex portion of the bottom 2. The upper end of the stem 3 isenlarged and slotted as indicated at 5 and is adapted to interengagewith a hook 6 suitably connected to a yoke 7 fastened as at 8 to the twoparts 9 90 of the hoisting line. These parts 9 are reeved over guidepulleys 10 which are carried on the projecting arms 11 (see Figure 1),12 (see Figure 2), or 13 (see Figure 3) of the frame of the traversinghoist structure and after passing over these guide pulleys the lineparts 9 are wrapped around a single drum 14 mounted on the frame of thehoist and controlled and actuated in the conventional manner from anelectric motor or any suitable type of motor which is directly gearedthereto. The two line parts'9 are utilized to give a balanced suspensionto the bucket but of course they function as a single line in thehoisting action and it is to be understood that a single line may beemployed is desired.

With the construction as thus far described the motor driven drum 14:,when operated, acts through the hoist lines 9 to raise and lower thebucket body 1 and its bottom 2 as a unit. This provides for the liftingup of a loaded bucket from the source of supply of the chargingmaterial, and also the lowering of an empty bucket. When, however, thetraversing hoist mechanism employed has positioned the loaded bucket inthe cupola and it is necessary to lower the bottom 2 while retaining thebody 1 against movement to provide for thedischarge of the contents ofthe bucket, it is essential that some means be brought into play forsupporting the bucket body independently of the hoist lines 9.

For this purpose the present invention proposes a pair-of hooksdesignated at 15 and having elongated shanks 16-, the upper ends ofwhich are suitably supported on the hoist structure. The hook portionsproper are designed to interengage with suitable cooperable structure onthe body 1 of the bucket, as for example, diametrically opposite andoutwardly projecting trunnions 18 securely fastened tothe body ofthebucket adjacent its upper end.

Atall times except when the bucket is in the cupola charger ready fordumping the hooks 15 are biased to an idle or inoperative positionwherein they are spaced from and out of engagement with the trunnions18. In this way the hooks do not interfere with the functioning of thehoist mechanism for raising and lowering the bucket body and its bottomsimultaneously and as a unit.

This biasing means may consist of a spring or weight suitably connectedto the hooks and in the present construction comprises a weight 20carried by the outer end of an arm 21 of a inul't'i-arm lever designatedgenerally at22. The lever 22 is fulcrumed as at 23 on a suitablestationary part of the traveling hoist and has an arm 24 extendingdownwardly from the fulcrum and connected in a special manner to one endof a connecti ng i'o'd structure '25, the other end of the connectingrod 25 being connected to the hooks 15. In the construction illustrated,wherein the shanks of the hooks are interconnected by an integral crossmember 17 it is suflicient to attach the connecting rod to one stem 16as this provides for simultaneous operation of both hooks. Of course, ifthe hooks were separate and separately mounted it would be necessary toprovide a separate lever 24 and coimecting rod 25 for each hook.

The special connection between the connecting rod 25 and the lever arm24is such as-to provide a certain amount of yieldability in theactuation of the hooks in one direction and yet provide also for theirpositive actuation in the other direction. In carrying out this purpose,the lower 'iorked endof the lever arm 24 supports a pivot pin 28 whichis formed with a transverse opening 27 through which the end portion 28of a connecting rod 25 is slidably fitted. On the eitreme end of theportion 28 a nut or head 29 is securely fixed so that when the lever arm21 swings to the right as viewed in Figure 3 a positive pull will beexerted on the connecting rod and applied to the hooks 15 to swing themto the idle or inoperative position indicated by the dotted lines.However, when the lever arm 24 is swung in an opposite direction tobring the hooks into engagement with the trunnions 18 the force exertedthrough the lever 24 is applied to one end of a coil spring assembly 30encircling the portion 28 and abutting the pin 26 at one end and ashoulder 31 at its other end. In this way, if the bucket should beturned slightly or if for any reason one hook 15 should strike itstrunnion 18 before the other then the resulting shock is taken up byspring assembly'BO and breakage or undue strain avoided. a

For automatically moving the hooks 15 from their idle position shown indotted lines in Figure 3 to their active position shown in full lines inthesame figure, when the bucket is positioned within the 'cup'ola andready for dumping, the lever 22 is provided with a third arm 35 having areplaceable tip part 36 which is designed to engage a stop or abutment37 so positioned and ar: ranged that as the bucket enters the cupola theengagement of the tip 36 of lever arm. with the stop 37 will cause thelever arm 35 and consequently the entire lever structure 22 to rotate ina clock-wise direction as viewed in Figure 3 thereby" moving the hooks15 into engagement with the tr'un-, nions. As soon as the hoiststructure'b'acks away from the cupola the tip portion 36 of the lever 35is disengaged from the stop37 and the biasing means shown as the weight20 functions to automatically return the hooks 15 to theirinactiveposition. v

In the type of construction shown in Figure 3, the invention is embodiedin a monoan I rail system and the arms 13 which carry the books 15 andguide pulleys 10 as well as the automatic means for shifting the hooksto Operative and inoperative position are formed as extensions of theframe of the monorail hoist, This frame 40 is supported by hangers 41and flanged wheels 4-2 on the monorail track 43. The stop 37 is fastenedto the end portion of this monorail track 43 so that as the frame 40comes to the position whereinthe bucket is within the cupola C and readyfor dumping the hooks 15 will be rocked into position to be engaged withthe trunnions 18 and consequently upon lowering of the lines 9 thebucket body 1 and bottom 2 will descend together until the trunnions 18are supported in the bills of the hook whereupon further downwardmovement of the body 1 is prevented and the bottom 2 descends alone todischarge the contents of the bucket.

In the type of construction shown in Figure 1, the hoisting mechanism,the hooks and the means for shifting the hooks are all mounted on theframe of a crane desig nated generally at 51 and of the type having amotor driven traveling bridge 52 which moves transversely with respectto the cupola C. In this construction the stop 37 is carried or fastenedto the travel ng bridge 52.

In the type of construction shown in Figure 2, the arm 12 is securelyfastened to and supported on the traveling truck 55 which rides on therails 56 of a motor driven traveling bridge 57 In this type of craneconstruction the bridge 57 moves toward and away from the cupola and themotion of the bridge brings the tip 36 of the lever 35 into engagementwith the stop 3'? which is carried in this construction by the cupolaitself. The motion of the truck 55 moves the bucket transversely withrespect to the cupola or cupolas. These various types of cranestructures or traversing hoist structures are all old and well known andper se form no part of this invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. A cupola charger comprising a bucket having a body, a dump bottomcooperable with the body, hoisting mechanism including a traveling truckhaving a motor driven hoist drum, a hoisting line controlled by the drumand connected to the bottom of the bucket and operable to raise andlower the bucket body and bottom as a unit, and means carried by andcontrolled in its action by the position of the truck of the hoistingmechanism and engageable with and disengageable from the body forsupporting the body independently of the bottom when desired.

2. A cupola charger comprising a bucket having a body, a dump bottomcooperable with the body, hoisting mechanism including a traveling truckhaving a motor driven hoist drum, a hoisting line controlled by the drumand connected tothe bottom of the bucket and operable to raise and lowerthe bucket body and bottom as a unit, hooks carried by the truck, saidbucket body having trunnions with which the hooks are engageable, meansfor causing the hooks to engage the trunnions and to disengage the sameat the proper times and consisting of biasing means for shifting thehooks to inactive position wherein they are disengaged from. thetrunnions, and a cooperable arm and stop for overcoming the action ofthe biasing means and shifting the hooks into engagement with thetrunnions when the bucket is in position ried by the truck, said bucketbody having trunnions with which the hooks are engage able, means forcausing the hooks to engage the trunnions and to disengage the same atthe proper times, and comprising a multiarmed lever, a one-way yieldableconnection between one arm of the lever and the hooks, biasing meanscoacting with another arm of the lever and a stop engageable with thethird arm of the lever when the bucket is in position for discharging.

4. A cupola charger comprising a bucket having a body, a dump bottomcooperable with the body, a hoisting mechanism including a travelingtruck having a single motor driven drum, a hoisting line actuated andcontrolled by the drum and connectible with the bottom of the bucket andoperable to raise and'lower the bucket body and bottom as a unit, agrapple structure positively and pivotally connected to the truck of thehoisting mechanism and engageable with and disengageable from the bodyfor supporting the body independently of the bottom when. de sired,means for biasing the grapple structure to inoperative positionwherein'the bucket body is under the sole control of the hoisting line,and means for shifting the grapple structure to operative position andinto supporting relation to the body when the contents of the bucket areto be discharged.

' 5. A charger for cupolas of the type wherein a part of the structureis stationary comprising a bucket having a body, a drop bottomcooperable with the body, hoist mechanism including a travelingtruckhaving a motor driven drum, a hoisting line actuated and controlledby the drum and connectible to the bottom of the bucket .for raising andlowering the bucket body and bottom as a unit, interengageablesupporting members between the truck and bucket body, means for biasingthe interengageable supporting members to disengaged positions andcooperating means between the truck and said stationary part of thestructure for shifting the interengaging parts into engaged positionwhen the bucket is in position in the cupola for discharging-itscontents,

6. A cupola charger comprising a bucket having a body, a dump bottomcooperable with the body, hoisting mechanism including a traveling truckhaving a single motor driven hoist drum, a hoisting line controlled bythe drum and connected to the bottom of the bucket and operable to raiseand lower the bucket body and bottom as a unit, hooks directly andpositively pivoted to the truck, said bucket body having hook engagingmeans whereby the body may be supported on the hooks and means forshifting the hooks to engaged and disengaged position at the propertimes. 1

7. A cupola charger comprising a bucket having a body, a dump bottomcooperable with the body, hoisting mechanism including a traveling truckhaving a motor driven hoist drum, a hoisting line controlled by the drumand connected to the bottom of the bucket and operable to raise andlower the bucket body and bottom as a unit, hooks directly andpositively pivotally supported on the truck and engageable with anddisengageable from the body for supporting the same directly from thetruck when desired, and means for shifting the hooks into and out ofengagement with the bucket body.

8. A cupola charger comprising a bucket having a body, a dump bottomcooperable with the body, hoisting mechanism including a traveling truckhaving a motor driven hoist drum, a hoisting line controlled by the drumand connected to the bottom of the bucket and operable to raise andlower the bucket body and bottom as a unit, hooks carried by the truck,said bucket body having l hook engaging means cooperable with the hooksto provide for the support of the bucket body directly from the truck,means for biasing the hooks to disengaged position and means including astationary abutment and a movable part connected to the hooks andengageable with the abutment and moved by virtue of said engagement in acertain position of the truck for automatically shifting the hooks toengaged position when the bucket is in ro er osition for dischar in b bin the cupola.

9. A cupola charger comprising a bucket having a body, a dump bottomcooperable with the body, hoisting mechanism including a traveling truckhaving a motor driven hoist drum, a hoisting line controlled by the drumand connected to the bottom of the bucket and operable to raise andlower the bucket body and bottom as a unit, hooks carried by the truck,said bucket body having hook engaging means cooperable with the hooks toprovide for the support of the bucket body directly from the truck,means for biasing the hooks to disen aged position, and

a cooperable arm and a utment for over NILS PETER ERIK ANDERSEN.

